New Study: Big Ideas Linked to Sleep

Want bigger ideas? Want to be more creative? Then skip those allnighters and go to sleep. According to a Science Daily article published yesterday, researchers have finally linked increased "big picture" thinking to getting a good night's sleep. It seems the brain continues to mix and match pieces of information together, like a big jigsaw puzzle, while you sleep.
    Many brilliant people—from artists to scientists—have long advocated the idea of "stepping away from the problem" in order to let the subconscious work on a solution. When Einstein got stuck, he took a nap. He often awoke with the solution to his problem. Salvador Dali often credited his dreams for inspiring his fanciful ideas. Many of the world's great inventors and innovators, in fact, have experienced that sudden "eureka!" moment while showering, sleeping, or taking care of the most mundane task. In other words, while not actively looking for the solution.
    That's not to say you can just go to sleep and come up with big ideas. You first need to feed your brain with the right pieces of information. Then you need to actively search for a solution. When the answer doesn't come, you might instinctively walk away in frustration. In my experience, that's the time to let the subconscious go to work. Go to a movie. Move on to another project. If you can, go to sleep.

    Here are some more tips I often pass on to young, aspiring creatives:

• Manage your project timeline accordingly. Build in the time for sleep.
• Keep a pencil and pad nearby during your "downtime" since you never know when your subconscious might spit something out. Always keep a pencil and pad near your bed.
• Feed your subconscious with new stimuli. Take a walk somewhere new, listen to music you don't have on your iPod, watch a TV show you've never seen. Something you experience during your "downtime" just might nudge your brain into a new, profitably direction.
• Walking away means walking away. Don't think about the project at hand. Of course, that's even easier to do if you go to sleep.
• If you're up against a deadline and time is precious, move on to another project if only for a few minutes (ideally a totally different kind of project).
• Don't feel guilty. Einstein was unapologetic about his midday naps.

Comments

[Tom]

Thank you for this post, it was really interesting to read.